Construction of wings and like parts of aeroplane flying machines and other aircraft



Feb. 13, 1923.

1,445,455. H. 0. SHORT.

CONSTRUCTION OF WINGS AND LIKE PARTS OF AEROPLANE FLYING MACHINES AND OTHER AIRCRAFT FILED SEPT II, 1922.

2 SHEET$SHEET I.

Feb; 13,1923.

H. 0. SHORT.

consmucnpw or wmss AND LIIKE PARTSYOFIAEROPLANE FLYING MACHINES ANDOTHERAIRCRAFT.

FILED SEPT. I I, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. H3, 1523.

PATENT @FFHQE.

HUGH OSWALD SHORT, OF ROCHESTER, ENGLAND.

CONSTRUCTION OF WINGS AND LIKE PARTS OF AEROPLANE FLYING- MACHINES AND OTHER AIRCRAFT.

Application filed September 11, 1922. Serial No. 587,560.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH OSWALD SHORT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Norfolk odge, Borstal Road,

Rochester, Kent, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Connected with the Construction of Wings and like Parts of Aeroplane Flying Machines and other Aircraft, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention refers to aircraft wings and like parts (hereafter termed wings), and the wings referred to are of that known kind, the primary factors of which comprise spars extending transversely of the line of flight, having ribs at distances apart and extending at'right angles to the length of the spars, and then a covering is applied to such a structure.

The primary object of the present invention is the construction of the ribs as hereafter described and claimed, and whereby the ribs can be readily applied to and fixed upon the spars, and should one or more of the ribs become damaged the construction enables, after such damaged ribs have been removed, the replacing of new ribs on the spars without calling for the removal of adjacent undamaged ribs from the spars, it being common practice in constructions employed at the present time to remove those ribs from the spars which are located between the damaged ribs and the ends of the spars, and then to place the new rib or ribs in position and replace those ribs whlch have been removed, this being of course incident to the construction of wings to which this invention refers where spars extend transversely through the ribs.

According to this invention each rib is constructed with open gaps to receive the spars, the said gaps extending from one edge of said rib in a direction about trans- Versely of the length of said rib to permit said rib to be placed onto said spars by a movement of the rib in a plane at right angles to said spar until said spars becomelent means are employed to fix the cover plates to the ribs.

The invention is particularly applicable 'for the construction of ribs of sheet metal,

and is advantageously employed in the construction of all-metal wings.

The invention will now be described with reference to'the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one .of the ribs according to the present invention, showing the same fitted to the spars which are indicated in section, and in this example are composed of tubular metal.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation, drawn to a larger scale than the previous figure, and showing the means by which the cover plate is fixed in position on the rib, and Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but showing an alternative means for fixing the cover plates.

An application of the particular ribs which are illustrated in the preceding figures to the wing of an aeroplane flying ma chine is shown by way of example at Figs. 6 and 7, where Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken transversely of the wing at right angles to the line of flight, and Fig. 7 is a part plan view of Fig. 6. 7

Referring to Fig. l, the rib 1 there illustrated by way of example, is constructed of sheet metal and it may be formed with through apertures 2 to reduce the weight, and obviously the edges of said apertures .may be flanged. Where the spars 3,4, which are shown as consisting of metal tubes, pass through the ribs, each rib is formed with a gap, said gap in the example shown extending from the upper edge of the rib, the edges of the gap being tangential to the section of the spar, and such a rib is applied to. the spars by a movement of the rib in a plane at about right angles to the said spars until the spars 3, 4 become seated on the terminal edges ofthe gaps in the position indicated at the figures of the drawings. A cover plate 5 is then applied to each gap to close said gaps after the rib is in position on the spars.

Each cover plate 5 is formed so that one end of the cover plate 5 fits upon the spar, while the opposite end of the cover plate coincides with the edge of the rib.

at Figs. 2 and 3, the cover plate 5 is formed upon each of its side edges with a flange 6, and also the opposite edges of the gap are formed with flanges 7, so that when the cover plate 5 is placed in position as shown at Fig. 2, the flanges fit against one another and are riveted together by rivets as shown, so that the cover plate 5 closes the gap, and the rib 1 is firmly held in position upon the spar 3.

It is preferred in constructing the ribs, to form the web of the rib 1 with a flange 8 extending around the terminal edge of the gap to constitute a seating for the spar 3, and it is also considered desirable to form a flange 9 around the end of each cover plate 5 to fit upon the spar 3, so that the spar 3 becomes completely enclosed within the flanges 8 and 9.

Instead of flanging the cover plate and the edges of the gap as shown at Figs. 2

and 3, the cover plate 5 (Figs. 4 and 5) may have extending parts 10 which overlie the rib 1 and are riveted thereto by rivets'll, the upper edge 12 of the cover plate 5 being bent inwards so as to lie flush at its upper edge with the surface of the sheet metal rib 1.

The detachable ribs. which have been shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, are, as previously mentioned, preferably constructed from strips of sheet metal, and in some cases the upper and lower edges of the ribs may be provided or formed with flanges by bending the upper and lower edges of the ribs. or by riveting angle section strips thereto so as to constitute upper and lower booms. The ribs. however, as shown on the drawings. are particularly applicable to all-metal wings, such as have been heretofore constructed by myself, and at Figs. 6 and 7 a construction is shown where ribs of the kind described are illustrated as applied to a wing constructed of sheet metal.

At Fig. 6, two ribs 1, such as described, are illustrated, the front and rear spars 3, 4 (Fig. 7) passing through the ribs. The outer covering of the wing is then applied, such outer covering consisting of strips 13 of sheet metal extending in the direction of flight, each strip 13 having flanges at its side edges so that the edges of the ribs 1 become interposed between the adjacent flanges of the covering strips 13; channel section strips 14 of sheet metal are then passed over and cover the flanges of the sheet. metal strips 13 of the covering and the interposed edges of the ribs, and the whole are then riveted together.

What I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is -1. In aircraft wings and like parts comprising spars extending transversely of the line of flight. ribs fixed to said spars and extending at right angles to the length thereof, and a covering for said wings; ribs, each having-a gap to receive each spar, said gaps extending from one edge of said rib in a direction about transversely of the length of said rib to permit said rib to be placed onto said spars by a movement in a plane at about right angles to said spars until said spars are seated on the terminal edges of said gaps, cover plates-to close said gaps after said rib is in position on said spars, one end of each cover plate shaped to fit the spar and its opposite end coincidinowith the edge of said rib, and means to fix said cover plates to said ribs.

2. In aircraft wings and like parts comprising-spars extending transversely of the line of flight. ribs fixed to said spars and extending at right angles to the length thereof, and a covering for said wings; ribs constructed of sheet metal, each having a gap to receive each spar, said gaps extending from one edge of said rib in a direction about transversely of the length of said rib to permit said rib to be placed onto said spars by a movement in a plane at about right angles to said spars until said spars are seated on the terminal edges of said -gaps, cover plates to close said gaps after said rib is in position on said spars, one end of each cover plate shaped to fit the spar and its opposite end coincidin with the edge of said rib, a flange formet around the terminal edge of each gap to constitute a seating for said spar. a flange around said end of each cover plate shaped to fit onto said spar, and means to fix said cover plates to said ribs.

3. In aircraft wings and like parts comprising spars extending transversely of the line of flight. ribs fixed to said spars and extending at right angles to the length thereof, and a covering for said wings; ribs constructed of sheet metal, each having a gap to receive each spar, said gaps extending from one edge of said rib in a direction about transversely of the length of said rib to permit said rib to be placed onto said spars by a movement in a planeat about right angles to said spars until said spars are seated on the terminal edges of said gaps, cover plates to close said gaps after said rib is in position on said spars, one end of each cover plate shaped to fit the spar and its opposite end coinciding with the edge of said rib, a

flange formed around the terminal edge of each gap to constitute a seating for said spar, a flange around said end of each cover thereof, and a covering for said wings;'thc combination with ribs constructed 0 sheet metal, each having a gap to receive each spar, said gaps extending from one edge of said rib in a direction about transversely of the length of said rib to permit said rib to be placed onto said spars by a movement in a plane at about right angles tovsaid spars until said spars are seated on the terminal edges of said gaps, cover plates to closesaid gaps after said rib is in positionon said spars, one end of each cover plate shaped to fit the spar and its opposite end coinciding with the edge of said rib, and means to fix said cover plates to said ribs; of a sheet metal outer covering, said outer covering comprising strips of sheet metal extending in the direction of flight, each strip having outwardly bent extending flanges at its side edges to contact with said ribs adjacent the edges thereof, channel section strips-of sheet metal passing over and covering said flanges of said sheet metal strips and said interposed edges of said ribs, and means for connecting together said channel section strips, said flanges of said covering strips and said interposed edges of said ribs.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses,

HUGH OSWALD SHORT.

Witnesses JAMES HENRY Woon, HENRY MlmroN REEPH. 

